Viola Leaf Problem

ommthree

Hi all,

I have a small viola whose lower leaves are greying. It seems to be dying back at the bottom, and I'm not seeing any new growth at the base which I had hoped would fill it out a bit, so the plant is very sparse. The top bit looks alright, has flowered quite a bit this year and has fresh buds. The damaged-looking stalks are just where I've dead-headed.
 
I grow it in a pot on my balcony in partial shade, a fairly well-draining compost and plenty of water. I don't see the same issues on my other violas (though these are mainly seedlings from this year).

I'm worried that it's dying off. Any thoughts?

Thank you!

https://flic.kr/p/26t3P3b

Lyn

They’ve near enough finished now, you could try cutting it down and putting it in the garden, I always do that when I pull them out of Spring tubs so I can plant summer bedding.

Borderline

I can't see the bottom sections properly, but I had a similar issue a while back and it was a combination of aphid attack and also Thrips. You need to be vigilant if you have them, otherwise the leaves will shrivel up quickly. Over watering or watering when the sun is out can also cause lower leaves to turn that colour. A combination of scorch and water sitting on the leaves can cause a similar look. The roots can be rotting, check the roots especially if you are over watering.